As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” To him, Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”   

"Lightning strikes inside my chest to keep me up at night, dream of ways to make you understand my pain. It’s heartbreak warfare. Once you want it to begin, no one really ever wins. How come the only way to know how high you get me is to see how far I fall. I don’t care if we don’t sleep at all tonight, let’s just fix this whole thing now. I swear to God we’re gonna get it right if you lay your weapon down."

Some people called Jesus "crazy." It seems "crazy" not to have a home to go to. It seems "crazy" not to allow the family to bury their dead or be able to say goodbye when you leave. Of course, Jesus did not mean his words literally. But he did mean to make his point perfectly clear, namely: if a person is going to follow him, that person cannot say, "I will follow you, but…" Jesus says simply, "Do it.  Don’t just talk about it." Or, as the man in John Mayer's song says, "Let's just fix this whole thing now."

Actually, as one studies the circumstances of John Mayer's song, one wonders whether they should try to fix their relationship at all. But if they choose to do it, what must happen first is to agree that some things will have to change. They will fix it, he says, "if you lay your weapon down," that is, one must give up some things before anything can happen. As Jesus said, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind" will accomplish what he/she wants. Jesus was talking about gaining eternal life, but the same principle is at work in this life.

It is no secret that giving up some things that we think are important is a difficult task. We like our own ways of doing things, we like putting ourselves first, we like the way we are used to acting. And so, when it comes to "fixing" anything, we like to "fix it" in a way that is least offensive to ourselves. But, it may be that our own desires are causing the problem. Sometimes, we have to give up our way in order to fix the situation.

Any situation can be repaired if the parties involved want to give up some things in order to repair it. Whether it involves gaining eternal life or gaining a better life on earth, putting aside our own agenda, as difficult as it may be, is necessary.                   

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son gave us the thought that we must be very serious about gaining eternal life, and that sometimes we have to give up some selfish behavior to achieve it. Give us the grace to see that we can help our lives by using such a guideline. Be with us, we pray. 

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Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America